


Midnight

by LannaBanzai



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-13
Updated: 2015-01-14
Packaged: 2018-03-07 11:48:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3173004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LannaBanzai/pseuds/LannaBanzai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lieutenant Duckling AU. Princess Emma meets Lieutenant Jones at a neighbouring castle's ball, and sadly her midnight curfew interrupts them. Flash forward a few weeks and the King and Queen have a certain Captain and his lieutenant staying with them. But...this only throws Emma into a further mess when her parents (already fed up with her rebellious ways) wish for her to marry the Captain...and then catch her in a compromising position with his lieutenant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ball

"Be home by midnight, Emma.” That was her fathers stern warning but she rolled her eyes. 

She was old enough to make her own decisions and have her own curfew. 

“Alright, midnight. Got it. Can I go now?” She was too excited. 

She heard that there were going to be sailors at this ball. 

Men from the Navy. 

She loved talking to them, they had such stories to tell. Stories of the ocean, far off lands, the stars. Emma wanted to go on grand adventures, to sail the seven seas, to sleep under the stars. 

Sadly, as a Princess of a Kingdom, she had very little freedom at the moment. 

So she had to settle for listening to their tales. 

“Yes, you may. Just behave, Emma. We wouldn’t want a repeat of last time.” She sighed pointedly. 

“Yeah, you’ve got it David.” She hopped out of the carriage…well, gracefully stepped out of the carriage, and headed inside. 

She always both loved and hated these events. 

They were crowded, so many people were dancing, and she had to wear uncomfortable dresses. 

On the bright side of things, she got to hear tales of adventure and see people from all over the world.

Emma would like to say that she was asked to dance, but that would be a lie. Instead she skirted the outside of the crowd, walking around to the giant windows on the other side. She could usually find a sailor or two over there. 

Sure enough there were two standing there, seemingly in conversation. 

She didn’t want to interrupt them, that would be rather rude, so she lingered on the edge of the window, losing herself in her thoughts. Staring out at the starry night sky, she almost forgot about the sailors beside her. 

“Evening, milady.” She jumped, turning to face the man beside her. Her heart skipped a beat at him. His bright blue eyes shining with curiosity, dark hair pulled back. He had a kind face, but Emma could see a certain sadness in his eyes. 

“Princess Emma.” She blurted and he tilted his head slightly. “My name, is Emma. I don’t care for titles.” He grinned extending his hand to her. 

“Its a pleasure to meet you, Emma.” He muttered, lifting her hand to plant a tiny kiss on her knuckles. “Lieutenant Killian Jones, at your service.” He made a mock bow and she giggled. 

“That, was ridiculous.” He held his hand over his heart in mock hurt. 

“You wound me, Emma. I was unaware that the proper greeting was…ridiculous.” She rolled her eyes. 

"Besides, I told you. I don’t care for titles." He nodded curtly. 

"My apologies, lass. It’s bad form, disobeying a princess." She stared at him, studying his face. 

Change of subject. 

She needed a change of subject before they talked about her.

"I think I’m safe in assuming that-" She indicated the man who was a little ways away and talking to her father, “-he is your captain?” Killian raised an eyebrow. 

“Aye, that he is. My older brother as well.” She smiled slightly. 

“So, you two must travel together.” He nodded, an air of apprehension to it that made her nearly giggle. “Anyinteresting adventures?” She asked, stepping closer to him as she did so. She found out that they usually react better to her if she makes it seem like she’s interested. Though, with Killian…Emma could tell he was going to be harder to crack. 

"Would you care to dance, milady?" She shook her head quickly. 

"No, thank you. I don’t dance." She realized how absurd that sounded. "Well, not a whole lot." A princess that doesn’t dance a whole lot? 

Yeah right. 

"You just haven’t found the right partner yet." He extended his hand to her and she hesitated for a fraction of a second before slipping her hand into his. 

His hand was warm and gentle, but also strong. 

Emma found herself wanting to hold onto his hand for much longer than a dance. 

“First rule for anything, pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.” He winked at her and she just raised an eyebrow at him. 

He was ridiculous. 

Ridiculous, but so very attractive. 

He dragged her out to the dance floor and the whole world seemed to disappear around them. Which was strange, because normally when Emma was wearing her red dress she drew in a bunch of unwanted stares, but tonight. 

She could only see Killian. 

After one dance, one short dance, they escaped to the terrace. The cold night air hitting her in the face like a sigh of relief. There had been far too many people inside that ballroom, she easily welcomed the silence. 

“Have you any tales to tell, Killian?” She asked, leaning against the balcony. 

“Aye. None fit for the ears of a princess.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Titles.” She reprimanded and he smiled, his fingers trailing over hers. She pretended not to notice but she felt a tiny blush rising in her cheeks. 

“My apologies, love.” She tried to fight the smile but she could feel it on her face. 

“You’re forgiven, Jones….if you tell me about one of your adventures that are not fit for the ears of any princess.” He raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Blackmailing me, are you Swan?” She grinned, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Not really…” She hesitated. “Whats it like? Being out on the sea that is. Nobody to tell you how proper you have to be, or not to make a fuss…it sounds like an adventure.” She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the daydream. “Sorry.” She mumbled but he just linked his fingers with hers on the railing and smiled. 

“What would you like to hear, my lady Swan?” 

Perfect. 

**-/-**

Emma didn’t know how much time had passed since they had started talking, but when her father came looking for her, she knew.

It was midnight. 

“Emma?” She dropped Killian’s hand as her father stepped out on the terrace. 

“Yes, father?” She had her innocent tone and David narrowed his eyes. 

“What are you doing out here?” He asked and she dropped all pretences. 

“Nothing, David. Just having a chat. Or..am I not allowed to do that now either?” He rolled his eyes. 

“Snow and I are leaving, come along. We don’t want-” She cut him off. 

“A repeat of last time, I know.” He nodded, one last glance between the two of them before he headed back inside. “I’m sorry, Killian.” She hesitated. “Thank you, for…giving me a little bit of freedom.” He took her hand, pressing a light kiss to her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. 

“The pleasure was all mine, love.” She stared at him, willing him to say something else, to do something else. 

“Until we meet again, Lieutenant.” She muttered, pressing a kiss to his cheek before heading after her father. She could feel his eyes watching her as she went, and she knew something important in that moment. 

They would find a way to meet again. 


	2. Escapades

She had seen him, two weeks later at her parents annual ball. Her father invited the pair of them to stay in the castle for the duration of their visit. 

_Of course, Emma didn’t mind this in the slightest, but that isn’t to say it wasn’t going to be easy._

She was seated next to him, during meals. But her parents we’re pushing her more towards Liam. 

_He was the Captain._

_He was better for her._

Some messed up logic like that. 

They were currently trying to use the same kind of logic on her, to get her to wear a dress - _Emma we have guests in this castle, you cannot wear that all the time_ \- Emma didn’t care. 

She liked wearing trousers. 

It allowed her to put her feet up, to relax, to be able to breathe. Corsets, frill, lace, skirts, no thank you. Give Emma a comfortable pair of trousers and she’d be happy for a week. 

She quietly opened and closed the library door, listening for the footsteps of the guards that had been following her. She may or may not have tried to escape the castle whenever her mother brought up the prospect of marriage. (In all honesty, there was a man she would be willing to marry in a heartbeat, but her parents probably wouldn’t approve.) So, she snuck into the library and once she was sure she wasn’t being followed she relaxed. 

"Hiding from someone, love?" She jumped, nearly letting out a tiny squeak but voices on the other side of the door silenced her. 

“ _Check the library!_ " One called and she heaved a giant sigh. 

"Well, there goes my hiding place." She muttered before looking up at Killian. “Do you wish to go on an adventure, Lieutenant.” He tilted his head slightly, raising his eyebrow. 

“An adventure, Swan?” She nodded, glancing back at the door as footsteps grew closer to it. 

“Well, you wouldn’t want to be caught hiding the princess would you?” She grinned, heading over to the window before pushing it open. 

“Swan, what are you-” She paused, halfway out the window. 

“Are you coming? Or would you prefer to be caught by the castle guards?” He hesitated before shaking his head and making his way to the window. 

“Are you sure about this?” He asked, indicating the giant drop to the ground. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, its all in the landing.” She was about the let go before she turned back to him. “Don’t hurt yourself, Killian.” With that, she dropped to the ground. It wasn’t that far of a drop, it seemed farther from the library, but it really wasn’t all that far. A few seconds later there was a small thud beside her and she turned to see Killian straightening up. 

“There she is!” She sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. 

“I guess I can’t avoid them…” Killian chuckled and held out his hand to her. 

“May be of any assistance to you, Princess?” She stared at him in surprise before sliding her hand into his. It was familiar. Something she wanted to be used to. Something she never wanted to disappear. 

“You may.” They took off, disappearing just as the doors opened and the guards stepped out. 

**-/-**

They stepped into a small clearing, hidden by trees on the edge of the garden. 

_It was Emma’s secret place._

_She’d go here to hide out and nobody would find her._

She had a feeling that her father suspected her hiding spot, but he never said anything. She dropped Killian’s hand, walking straight to the centre and flopping down. 

“You don’t have to worry, Jones. Nobody knows about this place.” She called over to him, sensing his slight hesitation. 

“Secret hiding spot?” She nodded as he sat down next to her. 

“Sometimes….sometimes I just need to be away for a while.” She replied, staring up at the midday sky as a silence fell around them. It wasn’t awkward, it wasn’t uncomfortable. 

_It was a silence as if they both needed it, they both needed a moment of quiet._

After a few moments, Emma wanted to hear his voice once more. She rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, her green eyes staring into his. 

“So, Sailor. You have any other tales to tell?”

**-/-**

It was dark by the time Emma realized they might want to head back to the castle. They had both missed lunch and dinner by a long shot, and her parents were going to lecture her for hours and hours. 

_But she didn’t want to leave._

_She didn’t want to be unable to talk to him._

_She didn’t want to not be by his side._

It was weird, she had only known him for a short time, but she felt like she had known him for a lot longer. 

“Tell me something, Emma.” She turned her face away from the stars and back to his, wrapping her arms around her knees as she sat up. “Why do you love the stars so much?” She frowned slightly. 

“I don’t know…maybe because they’re always there? They never leave.” She thought for a second. “They all have their own stories, and even though they don’t always end in happiness, they prevail. They survive. They get saved.” A light blush tinted her cheeks and she moved her gaze to her hands. 

_Avoiding eye contact to keep her blush down._

“Since I told you something, tell me why you call me Swan.” She wanted to know, since she couldn’t think of any reason as to why. 

“You were wearing a Swan necklace.” His eyes told her there was something else so she waited. “You are also as graceful and as beautiful as a swan, milady.” She felt her cheeks heating up as he stood, offering her his hand. “C’mon, Swan. Your parents will surely be getting worried.” She shook her head. 

“They probably haven’t noticed.” She muttered, but she took his hand anyways. 

It was a silent walk back to the castle, but they were walking closer than they should have been. They got close to the doors and Emma pulled him to a stop. 

“Wait.” She muttered and he turned to look at her curiously. 

“Emma wha-” She pulled him to her, pressing her lips against his. She wanted to know if it would feel the way she imagined. 

_It did._

_It was **more.**  _

_It was **everything she wanted**._

Her back hit the wall and she didnt care. She just held him tighter, deepened the kiss and let herself  _feel._

“Emma?” She quickly pulled away, face flushing as the owner to the voice stared at her in stunned silence. 

“Shit.” 


	3. Running Away

She wanted to  _slam her door._

 

She wanted to _scream._

 

But what did she do? 

 

_She ran._

  
  


She didn’t leave the castle, of course. She didn’t want her father to worry. She went to a place where she was free, where she could breathe. The library. She wanted to go back to her clearing in the forest, but it was far too cold outside. 

 

Emma slipped quietly into the library, sneaking to the very back corner. 

 

It was  ** _dark._**

 

It was  _ **hidden**_. 

 

It was  _ **quiet.**_

 

Nobody would look for her here. 

 

_Well, so she thought._

 

A clock chimed somewhere in the castle and she sighed. 

 

Of course it  _had_  to be midnight. 

 

_It was always midnight._

 

** // **

 

"Emma?" She glanced over to see her mother walking towards them. Stepping away from Killian and blushing profusely, she clasped her hands in front of her. "Where have you been all day? You missed all of your lessons and your meals." She shrugged. 

 

"I was..." She trailed off. Uncertain of a good excuse. 

 

"With me all day, your highness. I requested a tour of your lovely castle and it's brilliant grounds." Snow White nodded. 

 

" _Of course_." She didn't sound convinced. “What,  _pray tell,_  were you two doing over here?” Emma hesitated before seeing a way out. 

 

“Mother you _really_  need to have a chat with  _your_  guards, they are quite slow today. They even let me  _jump out a window_.” Her mother gasped and narrowed her eyes. She’s still in trouble…and probably a lot more trouble than she would have been in originally, but at least the focus was off of her and Killian. 

 

“Emma, you are a Princess, you will one day be Queen. You  _must_  act like it. Put all this  _childish foolery_  behind you.” She rolled er eyes. 

 

" _Childish foolery_? Mother, I am  _not_  a child, and I am  _not_   _foolish._ " Snow sighed. 

 

"Emma if you are to marry-" She took a step away, shaking her head. 

 

"I told you I don't want to talk about this. I want to go on an adventure, fall in love, then decide if I want to marry  _on my own terms_. I don't want to have it  _forced_  on me." Snow narrowed her eyes. 

 

"Emma, you are going to be Queen soon. You must have a husband by then. You will not get the chance to adventure or fall in love. Sometimes things are  _not that simple_." She glared at her before pushing passed her mother and Killian and stalking towards the castle. " _Emma!_ " She froze, spinning around to face Snow. 

 

"Yes, mother?" She muttered and Snow masked her face into that look. That look that Emma assumed most mothers got. The one that said  _if-you-disagree-you-are-in-so-much-trouble_  and you had no choice but to agree. 

 

"You  _will_  be engaged by the end of this ball, Emma. It's all going to be arranged." She took a step back, shaking her head. 

 

"I-" She began, her breathing speeding up as the panic began to set in. "I can't-I don't want-" She spun on her heel and ran inside. 

 

** // **

 

The door to the library opened and she curled herself tighter into a ball. Nobody would know she was in here, nobody probably cared enough to look for her. Her mother and father usually waited for her to cool down and let her find them. 

 

"Emma?" She jumped at the voice. The familiar, lilting voice. 

 

"Leave me alone, please." His footsteps echoed as he walked across the room, coming to a stop only when he seated himself beside her. "I thought you said it was  _bad form_ , disobeying a  _princess_." He smiled slightly, not enough for his dimples to show, but enough for her to blush when she realized her mistake. She let him know she remembered their first conversation. 

 

"I thought  _you_  said you didn't care for titles." He countered and she shrugged, turning her gaze to the giant book shelf in front of her. 

 

"I don't." She muttered, falling silent as she rested her chin on her knees. A silence fell over them. It wasn't an uncomfortable one, more like one that said he understood. 

 

"Swan, if I may." He began after a lengthy silence and she nodded. "If you want an adventure so badly, why don't you just escape and go on one?" She sighed, turning to look at him. 

 

"It's not that easy. I usually can't escape the guards, they catch me. I can't leave my parents not knowing where I was. The only adventures I get, are moments when I can forget about everything. When I can hide out in the woods and talk about the stars." She blushed slightly when he raised an eyebrow at her. She hesitated but decided ultimately to tell him. " _This_  has to end." He tilted his head. 

 

_Damn him._

 

_He's making this harder than it needs to be._

 

"What had to end?" She pushed herself to her feet and he followed quickly. 

 

" _ **This.**_  You and I. It  _can't_  happen, you  _know_  that. My parents wish for me to be with your brother, unless I can find a way to put an end to that... _this_  will never happen. We might as well end it before it even begins." Killian chuckled, low and almost darkly. 

 

"Swan, you might wish to inform your parents that my brother is already engaged." She stared at him for a moment before she kind of lost all train of thought. He lifted his hand to brush the hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. 

 

"He is?" Killian nodded, neither of them hearing the library door opening. 

 

"Yes, her name is Elsa, she is Queen of Arendelle, and she makes Liam very happy." His hand lingered, cupping her cheek but her eyes never left his. 

 

" _You're lying_." She muttered, even though his eyes said nothing of the sort. She turned on her heel, heading towards the door (not noticing the fact that it was open) when his hand slid around her arm and spun her around to face him. 

 

"Emma, I would  _never_  lie to you." She narrowed her eyes but found no lie written on his face. 

 

"So then what do you want me to do, Killian? Do you want me to say that whatever this is  _could happen_? Because it  _can't_. At least not while my parents...this can't  _mmph-_ " She was cut off by his lips on hers. She slid her hands up to his shoulders, ready to push him away, but then he stepped them back. Her back hit the bookshelf and his knee slid between her thighs. 

 

_She didn't push on his shoulders like she originally planned._

 

She slid her fingers into his hair, tilting her head and deepening the kiss. If that was even possible. All too soon she needed oxygen and so she pulled away. 

 

"Killian,  _my parents_ -" He pressed his lips to hers again, cutting her off. 

 

"What do  _you_  want, Emma?" He asked, pulling back and she smiled sadly at him, her fingers tracing his cheek as if to memorize his face before she dropped her hand and pushed him away. Turning and heading towards the door. 

 

"It doesn't matter what I want.  _I can't have it_."

 

** -/- **

 

She hadn't left her room for two days. Graham, the huntsman who spared her mothers life, had walked into the library whilst she and Killian were....conversing. He reported what he saw back to her mother who was a little less than happy about it. 

 

_Emma was a princess, not some bar-wench, she couldn't just do something like that right out in the open._

 

Technically she wasn't  _right_  out in the open, more like in a private library, but that didn't matter to her mother. 

 

_So here Emma was._

 

_Avoiding **Killian** , avoiding  **Snow** , avoiding her  **life**. _

 

_It seemed like the best option right now._

 

There was a knock on her door. 

 

"Emma?" Her father? 

 

"Go  _away._ " She called and he sighed. 

 

"Emma, we're all worried about you. Please just talk to me. You don't even have to say anything" She sighed but made no movement to open the door. "I'd prefer to do this face to face.” 

 

_She didn’t want to speak with him._

 

_She didn’t want to be here._

 

_She didn’t want to hear logic._

 

_Right now she wanted to hide away._

 

_She wanted to be where nobody could find her._

 

Her father knocked again and she made up her mind. She scrambled to her balcony, before judging the distance. 

 

“Emma? Are you alright in there?” She didn’t answer, swinging her legs over the balcony and hesitating. “Emma, I’m coming in.” She glanced back as the door began to open and quickly swung over to the vines strung along the wall. Using them to help her, Emma climbed down the castle wall. It wasn’t her first time at this, but it was still nerve-wracking. 

 

_The possibility of falling, of being caught._

  
  


“Emma! Where are you going?!” Her fathers voice came from above her and she hit the ground running as he called for the guards. She disappeared around the corner, letting out a slight shriek as someone grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back to him. 

 

“Running away are we,  _Princess?_ ” She relaxed immediately and he spun her around to face him, still keeping a hold on her. 

 

“I’m not running away.” She muttered stubbornly and he raised an eyebrow. She froze when she heard incoming footsteps and he chuckled. 

 

“Come on, Swan. How about I take you on a real adventure?” She turned to look at him curiously but before he could say anything the footsteps stopped. 

 

“There she is!” She giggled, taking a step away from Killian. 

 

“How about we have a  _race_?” She didn’t wait for him to reply before she took off, a light chuckle reaching her ears before his footsteps sped after hers. 


End file.
